''Plectranthus ecklonii'', commonly known as tall spurflower and Ecklon spurflower, is a shrub from the mint family

Lamiaceae The Lamiaceae ( ) or Labiatae are a family of flowering plants commonly known as the mint, deadnettle or sage family. Many of the plants are aromatic in all parts and include widely used culinary herbs like basil, mint, rosemary, sage, savory ...

, native to South Africa. The habitat includes forest or shaded situations near the coast.

Description

Native to the

Eastern Cape The Eastern Cape is one of the provinces of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are East London and Gqeberha. The second largest province in the country (at 168,966 km2) after Northern Cape, it was formed in ...

KwaZulu-Natal KwaZulu-Natal (, also referred to as KZN and known as "the garden province") is a province of South Africa that was created in 1994 when the Zulu bantustan of KwaZulu ("Place of the Zulu" in Zulu) and Natal Province were merged. It is locate ...

and

Mpumalanga Mpumalanga () is a province of South Africa. The name means "East", or literally "The Place Where the Sun Rises" in the Swazi, Xhosa, Ndebele and Zulu languages. Mpumalanga lies in eastern South Africa, bordering Eswatini and Mozambique. It ...

provinces of South Africa, it is an aromatic, semi-

succulent In botany, succulent plants, also known as succulents, are plants with parts that are thickened, fleshy, and engorged, usually to retain water in arid climates or soil conditions. The word ''succulent'' comes from the Latin word ''sucus'', meani ...

, fast-growing, erect shrub that reaches the heights of and has ascending branches that are covered with short, multicellular hairs that are pointed upwards.Plectranthus ecklonii Benth.
PlantZAfrica. SA National Biodiversity Institute. Retrieved 15 February 2024.Plectranthus ecklonii Benth. in DC.
PlantNET. Retrieved 15 February 2024. The ovate to elliptical, somewhat large leaves are 7.4 cm–19 cm x 3.5 cm–11.5cm in size, which are laid out in opposite pairs on the square-shaped stems and feature an edge-shaped base and acute apex, in addition to having clumps of purplish hairs on the nodes. The leaves give a

nicotine Nicotine is a naturally produced alkaloid in the nightshade family of plants (most predominantly in tobacco and ''Duboisia hopwoodii'') and is widely used recreationally as a stimulant and anxiolytic. As a pharmaceutical drug, it is used fo ...

-like smudge on the skin, if crushed or rubbed.

Inflorescence

The inflorescence consist of a terminal

panicle A panicle is a much-branched inflorescence. (softcover ). Some authors distinguish it from a compound spike inflorescence, by requiring that the flowers (and fruit) be pedicellate (having a single stem per flower). The branches of a panicle are of ...

that is 37 cm long. The double-lipped petals are 1.5-2.4 cm long, that range from bluish-purple, and at times pink or white. It produces flowers in autumn, from March (or as early as February) to May with a peak in April, although sporadic blooming can occur at any time of the year.

Reproduction

Fruits are a small brown to black nutlet, that is 0.2 cm in length. The plant can reproduce by self-seeding and by broken stems which can root readily.Plectranthus ecklonii
iGarden Pty Ltd. Retrieved 15 February 2024.

Habitat

The plant is found in damp, coastal subtropical and temperate forest and margins of such forests in partly shaded areas. It is generally found in the understorey at forest margins or on wooded creek banks. It found in areas where the precipitation falls mainly during summer, with totals of 1, 000 to 1, 750 mm per annum. Outside of its native range in South Africa, it has been recorded in the forest margins of the Blue Mountains in New South Wales, Victoria, and in New Zealand.

Cultivation

The plant is used for its profuse display of flowers, which can bloom in the first year after planting, and also for its fast growth in the garden. It can tolerate mild frost, but not severe ones where it can die off. It is easily propagated by cuttings, as it can root readily in soil. It can thrive from

mulching A mulch is a layer of material applied to the surface of soil. Reasons for applying mulch include conservation of soil moisture, improving fertility and health of the soil, reducing weed growth and enhancing the visual appeal of the area. A mu ...

and the occasional fertilizer. It tends to look more attractive when it is replaced by new cuttings (since it gets straggly and woody after a few years). During severe drought, it can wilt, but will rejuvenate after rainfall. Three cultivars of the plant exist: * ''P. ecklonii 'Medley-Wood – The common cultivar with blue flowers * ''P. ecklonii 'Tommy – Which features white flowers * ''P. ecklonii 'Erma – Pink flowered variety with the leaves and stems are specked with pink undertones

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q15350649 ecklonii Endemic flora of South Africa Garden plants Garden plants of Southern Africa Plants described in 1848